Democrat Hillary Clinton opens an 8-point lead over Republican Donald Trump in Florida, the largest of the presidential swing states, and erases a small Trump lead to create a dead heat in Ohio, while Pennsylvania remains too close to call, according to a Quinnipiac University Swing State Poll released today.

U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, a long shot for the Democratic presidential nomination, runs markedly better than Clinton in head-to-head matchups with Trump in Ohio and Pennsylvania, the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University Poll finds. The Swing State Poll focuses on Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania because since 1960 no candidate has won the presidential race without taking at least two of these three states.

“Secretary Hillary Clinton is pulling ahead in Florida, but the pictures in Ohio and Pennsylvania are much less clear,” said Peter Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac Poll.
“The at-times bitter verbal battles between Trump and some Republicans leaders is showing in these numbers. In these three key states, Clinton is doing better, and in the case of Florida much better, among Democrats than Trump is among Republicans. Traditionally GOP presidential candidates score better on this party loyalty test.”

By wide margins, voters in each state say Clinton is better prepared than Trump to be president; that she is more intelligent than Trump and that she has higher moral standards. Voters are divided on whether Trump is more honest and trustworthy than Clinton and voters in Ohio and Pennsylvania find him more inspiring. Trump’s comments about a judge of Mexican descent are racist, voters in each state say by wide margins.

Florida voters say 48 – 40 percent they would rather invite Trump to their backyard barbecue, but say 49 – 40 percent they would rather turn to Clinton during a personal crisis.

“Of the three swing states, Florida has the largest number of electoral votes. In fact, it has the most of any of the roughly dozen states around the country considered to be in play. It is Hillary Clinton’s best state and perhaps Donald Trump’s toughest lift. One reason might be Florida has a larger Hispanic population than the other two states, and Trump has clashed with Hispanic leaders over some of his remarks,” Brown said.

Ohio voters say 50 – 36 percent they would rather invite Trump to their backyard barbecue, but say 45 – 42 percent they would rather turn to Clinton during a personal crisis.

“One reason why Trump may be doing better in Ohio, and for that matter in Pennsylvania as well, is that both states have small Hispanic populations, compared to Florida. Given Trump’s comments on immigration and descendants of immigrants, the much larger Hispanic population in Florida is obviously a boost there for Hillary Clinton,” Brown said.

Comparing the candidates’ character traits, voters say:
?59 – 32 percent that Clinton is better prepared to be president;
?47 – 37 percent that she has higher moral standards;
?54 – 33 percent that Clinton is more intelligent;
?44 – 40 percent that Trump is more honest and trustworthy;
?45 – 41 percent that Trump is more inspiring;
?47 percent that Trump is a stronger leader and 46 percent that Clinton is stronger.

By 52 – 36 percent, Pennsylvania voters would rather invite Trump to their barbecue, but 45 percent would turn to Clinton in a personal crisis and 44 percent would turn to Trump.

“In the Clinton-Trump acid test, Pennsylvania voters say Hillary Clinton is smarter, more morally grounded and better equipped to handle the ‘what ifs,’ the use of nuclear weapons and the management of an international crisis,” said Tim Malloy, assistant Director of the Quinnipiac University Poll. “Sure Trump would be more fun at a barbecue and might crush ISIS more efficiently, but given it’s a tossup on leadership, in the broad overview, Trump comes up short.”

From June 8 – 19 Quinnipiac University surveyed:
?975 Florida voters with a margin of error of +/- 3.1 percentage points;
?971 Ohio voters with a margin of error of +/- 3.1 percentage points;
?950 Pennsylvania voters with a margin of error of +/- 3.2 percentage points.

Live interviewers call land lines and cell phones.

The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Douglas Schwartz, Ph.D., conducts public opinion surveys in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Florida, Ohio, Virginia, Iowa, Colorado and the nation as a public service and for research.